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CHAPTER 21

Where Does My Future Lie?

In all the years he's spent on this planet, Allon had never felt more alone than he did at that moment. The night dragged on and all he could do was sit on the edge of his bed and think of everything he could've done differently to reconcile with Rishi. Was there anything he could've done or said that would've won him any favor with the small rodent? He considered several possibilities, but in the end the answer was a glaring 'no' and he knew it. His actions had repercussions and his treatment of the mouse and his family was resonating with him on a monumental level. After his recent wound was patched up, he demanded everyone leave him be for the night. All four of his faithful guards and companions tried to comfort him, but with the knowledge that the he would never see the young, gentle male again, he required solitude to handle his heartbreak.

He removed all his clothes and sat naked on his bed, wishing that he could take it all back, hoping that he could find a way to make it up to the rodent, but there was nothing he could think of. He had a week left to leave and he had to fix the relationship with his wife, but even if they couldn't resolve their own issues, there was no chance that Rishi would want to stay, even if he assured him he would never have to share his bed again. He tried briefly to think about something else, but it did little good. His mind was focused solely on the one person he cared about above all others and all the reasons in which he didn't deserve to have him.

The door opened suddenly, no knock or call from the incoming individual, much to the lord's disapproval. "Roland," came Amarro's voice from the doorway. "You have a visitor."

Allon didn't even bother turning around, feeling vexation at the lion's discourtesy at his sudden intrusion. "Amarro," he replied, his voice flat and robotic, but his irritation evident. "It's extremely late. What in the hell makes you think I want visitors at this hour?" He sat there motionless, awaiting the lion's answer, never in his wildest fantasy expecting the voice that followed.

"Hello, Allon," Rishi announced.

The cougar lifted his head in Rishi's direction, his utter surprise by the mouse's presence clear on his face. Rishi stood in the door just passed Amarro who looked on with a friendly smile in the lord's direction. "Rishi. I- I wasn't expecting to see you again... ever." The shock in his voice underscored the effect the sight of the mouse had on him.

Rishi stared back with droopy eyes, exhausted from the wide slew of the day's events. He wore a tired expression with no indication of interest in speaking with the lord. "I wasn't sure I'd be coming back myself." The two continued to stare at each other, one out of shock at the other's presence and the other out of mental enfeeblement.

Amarro grabbed the doors to Allon's room and stepped outward. "I'll give you guys some privacy." With that, the lion shut the door leaving the subject and the lord alone.

Rishi cleared his throat as he looked around the room nervously. "I, uh... I spoke with Sam."

Allon, attempting to show graciousness for the mouse's relationship with his wife, gave a weak smile, belying his desperate longing for Rishi himself. "Oh, good. Is everything OK?"

Rishi looked down, pausing a moment before shaking his head. "No."

Allon's smile faded and Rishi stepped forward, coming around the side of the bed. As he brought himself closer to the feline, his heart beat quickened and his mind was abuzz with conflicting thoughts. He considered his options the entire walk back and decided that this was the best choice for him and his family, but standing here now in the cougar's presence, he thought now of his wife and kids and suddenly he didn't seem so sure of himself anymore. But despite every nagging feeling he encountered from his heart, his stomach, or even his nether regions, he'd had plenty of time to ruminate on the matter and felt confident he was doing the right thing. He'd made his decision, now all he had to do was carry it out.

As he made it 'round the bed, he became aware that Allon was nude and blushed, his white fur making it more evident than would be usual for an anthro. It didn't make much sense considering how many times he'd seen the cougar naked, nor considering what he'd come here for, but there was something different about seeing the feline like this. He averted his eyes as he got closer, his heart beat quickening and the knots in his stomach tightened. Allon noticed his sudden bashful idiosyncrasies and realized it was because his sheath was out in the open.

"I'm sorry, Rishi. I wasn't expecting any visitors. I'll go put something on." He began to stand, but Rishi held out a paw.

"No, Allon, it's fine. Actually, it might be better this way."

Allon looked confused, but he relented and sat back down. Rishi was standing at one corner of the bed, his courage teetering on the edge of failure. Standing so close to the lord after yelling at him earlier, storming out without answering the question he begged him to answer, he felt like he was entering the (mountain) lion's den, proverbial and literal. Add to that everything he discussed with Samantha and he just wasn't in the mood to argue. Seeing the feline now, however, solemn and depressed with his entire naked body to see, slumped over in a sad heap, Rishi felt more confident that he could relax.

With the puma in sight now, he noticed that Allon was holding something in his lap and as he looked closely at it he was able to identify it and was overcome with surprise. "Is that... is that my shirt?"

Allon looked at the rodent and then down at the rag in his paws and he held it up for Rishi to get a better view. "Yes it is." Rishi couldn't believe it, but the lord of Darreen had kept the shirt he discarded when he was being chased in the hunting grounds. "I was gonna toss it out, but I decided to keep it. It sounds silly, but... I find it gives me comfort when you're not here. I took it out and haven't been able to stop staring at it. I didn't think I'd ever see you again and so... I figured at least I'll have something of yours to remember you by."

Considering the deranged reason Rishi had for discarding that shirt, it seemed rather demented to the mouse that the lord would keep it as a memento. However, it was still a touching sentiment that the cougar found such sentimental value in a piece of cloth the rodent hadn't worn in over a year. His nervousness was slowly fading more and more as the night was delineating to Rishi how much the lord has changed over the year. His fatigue was still effecting his nerves and he still found it rather difficult to be here.

He took note of the puma's wound, a master craft of stitches holding the skin together. "How's the injury, Allon?"

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt much, but I thank you for asking." Rishi gave a nod and a friendly smile before it faded as he became preoccupied again. "So, Rishi, tell me, why are you here?"

Rishi thought on the question a moment as he began to fiddle nervously with his hands. "When I first married Sam, I made a vow to protect her, keep her safe, give her a good home and a good life. Do all the basic things a good husband should do. But I couldn't protect her from the canines or from the pain of knowing I was sleeping with the Royal Court. And I couldn't provide her with a good life. I haven't even been able to protect myself, how the hell was I supposed to protect anyone else? I've been underfoot of everyone I've come in contact with. Every decision that's been made for me over these long years has been made for me by someone else. I've just completely lost control over my own life. That's not the way a husband can live if he wants to protect his family. That's not the way anyone can live. I just... I feel so helpless and vulnerable. I'm... I'm just weak... something for others to use."

Allon sat quietly, staring at the mouse with eyes of sympathy and remorse. "Rishi, all that's over now. You never have to feel that way again. Your life can begin anew and you can begin making choices for yourself and your family again."

Rishi knew the cougar was trying to make him feel better, but it did nothing to lift his spirits. He stepped up to the nearest bed post and leaned his head against it, letting out a very exhausted sigh. "I'm tired, Allon."

"I'm guessing that offering to let you lie down in bed isn't going to fix that."

Rishi shook his head. "I'm tired of the endless struggle, tired of never feeling like I'm in control of my life, tired of always doing what everyone else expects of me and never getting anything in return. But most of all, I'm tired of feeling helpless and weak. I'm tired of feeling like a used rodent."

Allon tried desperately to think of something to say that might quell the emotional turmoil in the murine individual, but aside from cliché platitudes and senseless reiteration of everything he's said already, he had nothing. "What can I do?"

"I don't think I can fix my marriage. It's too damaged. Thanks to the endless tributes, lack of affection between Sam and me, her cheating on me, and the uncertainty of our future in the city, I don't think it's salvageable."

Allon lowered his head in shame. "And it's all because of me, because of what I've done, trapping you in-"

"Allon, just stop," the mouse blurted out, lifting his head from the post to look down at the lord. His voice was more annoyed than angry, but it was clear he was irritated by the cougar and his sudden outburst came as a surprise to the lord. "I've had enough apologies for the night, I don't need to hear anymore, OK?"

Allon looked back dumbfounded for a moment, the mouse obviously finding his courage to talk back to the puma, but he gladly relented. "OK."

Rishi took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter, it's done. I can't look back to figure out what I'm going to do moving forward. I haven't been able to do anything for me or my family up until now and looking ahead there's little I can do to ensure the comfort and security of my family. But there is something I can do now and it's the only thing I can think of which will guarantee a good future, but I have to do it now before it's too late. I have to ask you for your help."

Allon was slightly befuddled, but he listened intently to the mouse's thoughts, willing to hear him out and assist him as best he could. "Alright."

Rishi took a deep breath and gulped as he continued to fidget with his paws. "I have said this a million times already. Sam's tired of hearing it, I'm sure you're tired of hearing it, hell I am really fucking tired of saying it, but it is the one truth that has never faltered for me. Everything I've done up until now has been for Sam and the kids. That's as true now as it's always been and not once has it been anything less than absolute. As long as they're happy and safe, then I'm happy. But ever since the canines invaded our land, I've struggled to keep any semblance of balance in my life and I don't want Sam to have to go through with that anymore. As a high lord, Allon, I know you can assist her and the kids. You can help give them a home, make sure that they never have to worry about making ends meet again. Keep them safe and secure and well fed, give them the life that they deserve and the one that I certainly never could."

Allon looked on with pity and regret, but this time at what he felt he couldn't do for the rodent. Such a request was asking a tall order from someone of his stature and it was not an easy order to fill, especially considering the reasoning for asking him. Allon thought on how to respond to Rishi, unsure of what to say that wouldn't completely break his heart. "Rishi, look, I can help you and your family out in the city and make things easier for you-"

Rishi held up his paws. "Wait, wait, please, before you say no, understand that I'm not asking you to do this for nothing." Allon furrowed his brow in confusion and listened intently. Rishi's heart palpitated wildly and was ready to jump out of his chest. He gulped again, his nerves firing rapidly as he stepped forward next to Allon. "Do this for my family, give them a good home, a good life, so that they never have to struggle again. Do this for me, and in return..." He paused, looking the cougar in eyes, til finally he reached down and placed a paw on Allon's, the puma looking down at the gesture and then looking back up into Rishi's eyes, his expression becoming one of shock.

"You get me."

Allon's mouth hung open as it was his turn to feel the nerves firing, his breathing increasing, his heart beating faster, and his mind racing. He was in disbelief, halfway convinced he misheard the mouse, but soon he continued speaking.

"Not as a tribute, not as an escort, but as your mate. We'll share your bed, sleep together, I will make you happy for as long as you wish."

Allon smiled, unable to hold back a gasp of happiness at the thrill of Rishi's unexpected proposal. He felt tears welling up at the prospect of being able to spend the rest of his life with the mouse, not by force, but by request. It was enough to make him giddy, but as he sat there suddenly picturing his life together with Rishi, he looked into the rodent's eyes and saw not a mate, but a perpetual victim of the cougar's desires. The look made Allon picture a mouse miserable and despondent for the family he lost, not a happy rodent that could learn to forgive the one who wronged him. As he stared back into the mouse's eyes, he desperately wanted to accept and tell him he would do anything he could for the mouse, but the price would be too great on Rishi's spirit and he couldn't tear down the rodent anymore than he already had. He placed the shirt he was holding down off to the side and reached up with his free paw and placed it gently on top of Rishi's, softly caressing it.

"Rishi, I would love nothing more than to take you as my mate. If you did that, I would spend the rest of my life doing everything I could to make things right for what I've done. I would not hesitate to do everything in my power to make sure your family was safe, secure, and well taken care of." Rishi smiled weakly. "But I just can't accept." Rishi's smile faded quickly and he was left to look back at the cougar with disappointment and despair. He figured above all else that this was his golden ticket, his sure thing, that Allon would accept him without argument, but it was falling apart just like everything else in his life.

"If I kept you here, you would be miserable for the rest of your life. You'd miss your wife, your children, and for that you would resent me and you'd never be happy. In turn, I'd be unhappy for keeping you and I would always feel guilty. I could never do that to you. I know that life in the city can be hard and I can help you in making a better life for yourself, but at least if you're with your wife and kids you'll be happy. I think that's really the life that you want."

As Rishi listened to the lord's reasoning, he realized that the offer was not off the table, just that he'd have to reveal his true feelings, which meant coming clean with what he's been hiding from Allon. He gave a light chuckle and a smile, causing Allon to look back with confusion.

"You're right; I would miss my wife. I may not be able to repair our marriage, but I still love her. I enjoy being with her, sharing a bed, listening to her talk and laugh, seeing her smile. I want to see her happy. And you're certainly right that I would miss my children. If I stay here with you, I'll miss out on so much, not being able to hold them everyday. I'd miss seeing them grow up or playing with them or getting the chance to teach them all the things that I know. And you are right; that's certainly the life I want to live. My wife at my side, my kids growing up in front of my eyes, the peaceful family life I'd always dreamed of. But... do you really think that I would be miserable if I stayed with you? You really think I could never be happy?"

Allon looked away, pondering the situation, thinking at first that his presence left an everlasting disheartening effect on the rodent. Now, having him pose that very question to him, he suddenly realized that may not be the case, that perhaps the rodent was not as scarred and broken as he originally postulated. However, there was also the possibility that he was putting on an act, displaying comfort and ease with the cougar so as to win his favor and get him to accept the deal. If that was the case, could he give in the mouse's request thinking that he was just continuing to make the mouse miserable, condemning him to a life in which he has nothing left - no wife, no kids, no dignity? He'd spent so long acting selfish and greedy, forcing Rishi to do his bidding against his wishes and it destroyed him and his marriage. He just realized his mistake and wanted to make it right, but it would be for not if he showed his weakness now and agreed for the wrong reason. The whole situation was a messy conundrum and he wasn't sure what to do.

Rishi, on the other hand, knew the answer, or at least he thought he did, and if he was going to get the cougar to agree to keeping him, he needed to convince him. Of course, reminding himself of that perfect life that he would probably never have was making this much harder for the rodent. But thoughts of the way life has been for him over the last four years, the uncertainty of life in the city, and the near certain disruption of his marriage to Sam made the next part more bearable to the mouse.

Rishi removed his paw and stepped directly in front of Allon, their eyes meeting as, for the first time ever, Allon saw confidence in the mouse while Rishi saw insecurity in the cougar. Rishi reached down and slowly grabbed Allon's paws, lifting them up and gently bringing them to his face. Allon sat confused, allowing the mouse to take control of the situation, knowing full well it was what he needed to do. Rishi brought the large feline paws to his head and pressed them to his face, the paw pads pressing against his cheeks. Allon responded by gently gripping his face and cupping it tenderly, his thumbs very slightly extending the tip of a claw and slowly scritching the underside of Rishi's chin as his other finger slowly massaged the back of his head. Rishi let out a soft moan and closed his eyes as he allowed the cougar to caress his face, a moment of serenity never before shared between the two. Rishi breathed softly and calmly as Allon scritched away, his mind easing up enough to thoroughly enjoy Rishi letting him hold him like this. Still, though, the mouse's sudden change in behavior was something he never could've anticipated and it still wasn't clear if Rishi was sincere in his efforts.

They held that pose for a moment before Rishi opened his eyes again, staring back at Allon with a look of assuredness he had never seen before. Rishi continued to grasp the cougar's wrists as his paws remained planted on his head. "Would you still like an answer to your question, Allon?"

Allon looked on with confusion. "What question?" Rishi gave him a look as if expecting him to know the answer and the lord remembered quickly what he was referring to. In all honesty, the moment the mouse created was so ethereal to him, so blissful that he didn't want anything to ruin it, but after pestering the mouse earlier, he felt he owed it to him to hear the rodent out. He gulped and rather apprehensively nodded his head. "Yes, I do."

Rishi paused for a few seconds before he answered. "I should." Allon tilted his head, taken aback by the actual response. He figured he'd say yes, even given their current position. There was a negative denotation to his answer, for sure, but there was also hope. "I should hate you. You permanently scarred me for life, forced me into sexual servitude, drew a rift between my wife and me, and threatened my family. In all honesty, I shouldn't be able to look you in the eye." Allon knew what he meant as the guilt he felt came rushing back and he looked away in shame. "I should hate you. Believe me, I want to hate you... but I don't." Allon's eyes rushed back to look into Rishi's again, his hope returning. "I can't. All that hate, that anger, it gets me nowhere."

"Up until now, I've been driven by my obligation to protect my wife and kids while at the same time fighting against fear and guilt. Often times, I was simply afraid of what you or your men might do to me... and you can't tell me that those fears weren't justified." Allon gave a weak nod of agreement. "But I have to admit that I was also fighting against something else at the same time, a feeling that I've tried to deny ever since this whole thing started, a feeling that, had it not been for my dedication to Sam and the kids, I might have given in to. You tried to tell me that I should get more comfortable with my situation and that would make it more bearable. In some cases, I got more than just comfortable. When I wasn't fearing for my life or being forced against my will to perform for you, I was finding some level of pleasure in our excursions. I mean, I am a male and like any male when your dick is exposed and it's being rubbed between two furry bellies, you'd be lying to say it doesn't feel good. And when you or any one of your guards was inside of me, pressing against my prostate, my body betrayed my mind which was desperately trying hard to hide how exciting the feeling truly was. It felt good, but... like I said before, the only reason I never fully enjoyed it was because of my family. The thought of getting off while in the company of other men made me feel like I would be truly unfaithful to my wife and the guilt and shame from that always kept me from ever finding true pleasure in your company. Had it not been for them, I probably would've been a lot more receptive to what we were doing, I probably would've been smiling more... and things probably would've been a lot messier."

Allon felt the doubts he had for the rodent's true intentions dissolving away, finding it difficult that Rishi could be making all this up. The thought of how his evenings of sex with the young mouse could have played out making him smile inwardly. For Rishi, the thoughts were far more heartbreaking given the reality of the situation and yet another fantasy that he wished for, but would never come. Nevertheless, his future was uncertain and a pleasant life for all members involved was on the horizon if he just continued to spill his heart to the cougar lord.

"That's not the only thing that kept me from enjoying our time together. Before now, even as early as last evening, when I'd come in here, if we sat like this with your paws grasping me like this, I would be so fearful that I couldn't concentrate on anything except how intimidating they are. These paws, these big, strong paws, knowing what they could do to me... because of what they did do to me, I was always afraid of them. Even when they were being gentle and caring, just like they are now, I always feared what they could do if you ever got angry and decided to use them to express that anger." Allon tensed up, the cougar wanting to shake at the memory of his uncontrollable outburst that led to the scars that he was now staring at. The puma wanted to retract his paws, worried that he might inadvertently scratch the mouse and wondering how he could ever have struck the mouse so violently. "But now, as you hold me here like this, sandwiched between your strong paws which could crush my head with a single clench, I feel no fear. I don't feel timid or scared or worried or uncertain. I feel... warmth... and comfort... and care."

It was all Allon could do to keep himself from crying right then. He was losing control of his emotions as the mouse was slowly and masterfully tunneling into his heart. After everything he'd done, the fact that this small creature with his small frame, small head, and short fur between his paw pads could trust him enough to allow him to do this, but also admit to feeling warm, comfortable, and cared for was enough to make the lord want to grab him right then and there, hold him in his arms and never let go. Rishi knew his admittance would get a reaction out of the cougar. It wasn't too obvious, but it wasn't subtle either, and the mouse observed a slight, happy cry and a glimmer in his eyes that made the rodent feel happy for the lord. He thought for a moment that he might have gone a little overboard with his reaction to being held by the puma, but as he stood there, embraced by the lord's paws, padded skin pressing up against his cheeks with body heat resonating onto his face, claw tips tenderly stimulating him in a pleasurable, yet platonic way, the murine male had to admit that it felt rather comfortable and safe.

He looked away from Allon before continuing. "Before, whenever I looked into your eyes, I always saw a look of anger, a look of dominance, of control, and I always feared what those did or could do to my soul. Even when they showed sympathy, concern, and sorrow, I only ever saw that which made me feel small and weak. Now, as I look into them..." Rishi looked up into the lord's eyes and paused as a sensation came over him that he hadn't expected. While staring into Allon's eyes, the very essence of what he just described, anger, dominance, control, was all gone and had been replaced with guilt, longing, and, dare he think it, love. Suddenly, he felt an emotional connection with the cougar that he hadn't felt before, an attraction that he hadn't felt since he first met Sam. In that moment, everything the cougar said about being attracted to him, caring for him, feeling regret over what he'd done, seemed true and Rishi suddenly felt as if he shared the lord's feelings. It was an odd sensation and it didn't completely pass, but the thought of his wife and kids brought him back to his train of thought and he continued on, even though that feeling, that connection, that attraction wouldn't escape his mind. "As I look into them, I see compassion, I see sympathy, guilt, a man filled with regret and a desire to correct what he's done wrong and wants nothing more than to prove that he is indeed an honorable man."

Allon finally lost control as a couple of tears ran down his face, his smile brimming with euphoria at the mouse's words. "You mean that? So, you mean you really would be happy here with me?"

Rishi paused and looked down, thinking about his family, trying to think positive thoughts and a life in which they're not dressed in rags or struggling to keep a home. He pictured them all smiling, clean, well dressed, well fed, in the sun on a warm day in front of field of tall grass. He smiled himself and chuffed. "If my wife and kids are happy and safe, then I'm happy."

A few more tears traversed Allon's cheeks. "And do you really think..." He wanted to wipe the tears from his eyes, but he did want to let go of the mouse. "Do you really think you could enjoy my company? Could you really find comfort... sharing a bed with me again... after everything that's happened?"

Rishi stared back at the cougar, pondering the same thought himself, seeing his large frame and wondering if he could endure this man holding him down and mating him or if he'd remain intimidated. He had to prove to the lord and to himself that he could view the large feline as something more than just a sexual deviant, a selfish child who cared for no one but himself. He needed to prove that he could be taken by him and feel convinced that Allon was putting the mouse's concerns and well being above his own. His words might ring true and his intent may be to insure the safety and comfort of Rishi and his family, but the rodent's feelings were still uncertain.

After a moment, Rishi removed Allon's paws from his face and the cougar let them fall to his side. What the mouse did next caught the feline by surprise. Rishi climbed up onto the bed, right into Allon's lap, straddling him with his groin pressed right up against his belly and his butt resting on Allon's sheath. The cougar's heart beat picked up heavily in pace, his breathing intensified dramatically, and he stared wide-eyed as the mouse climbed on top of him in a seductive manner. Now, more than before, he wished he was wearing a loincloth as the sight of the mouse so close to him again, the feeling of his small, murine penis pressing up against him, his ass cheeks rubbing up against his encased cock, was getting him excited. He tried hard not to think about it, but it wasn't easy and his dick was filling out the furry confine quickly. The mouse placed his paws on Allon's shoulders, staring deep into his eyes and doing nothing to alleviate the inopportune arousal the puma was 'suffering.' Though he wasn't sure what Rishi was going for here, he didn't want to risk poking the rodent with his member and making him uncomfortable after the mouse has tried so hard to see the lord with understanding.

For Rishi, the act brought about a familiar sense of dread, the memories of a past in which he felt less like a subject and more like a slave. He wasn't dense to the effect this would have on the lord and if he got hard from it, he'd have to be understanding. His legs were straddling the feline, his thighs pressing up against his waist, his crotch sandwiched between his groin and Allon's furry belly, and the warmth each of them emanated was heating up the other in a rather sensuous manner. He felt a tinge of arousal building inside of him and his nerves shot up, frightened at the aspect of lusting after the lord, despite his current intentions. They stared into each others eyes, that same feeling of attraction coming over the mouse again as he perceived the sadness and humility on full display from the cougar.

As he sat their, Allon waiting patiently, giving full control of the situation to Rishi, the mouse turned his head to observe the wound on the puma's shoulder, expertly dressed as expected for someone of such high rank. He slowly reached over and gently caressed the scar, running his paws over it, the evidence of vulnerability sending a cascade of thoughts through the rodent's mind. Allon let out a soft moan as Rishi passed over the wound and the mouse wasn't sure if it was a moan of pain or pleasure. As he fixated on the injury, he began to wonder what Allon must've felt during his encounter with the bandits. He knew full well what Sam and Tessa felt, but he'd never actually really considered what the experience must've been like to lay down his life for the mice. He continued to rub the wound, thinking about the arrow that once pierced him, imagining what might have happened had another arrow struck him. This wound, this body, this feline saved his family's life all because he wanted to make things up to him for what he'd done. All that anger, all that fear, the depression, the longing to be rid of his scent, his touch, the sound of his voice, aspects the mouse began to believe he could truly change those feelings.

Rishi looked back into Allon's eyes. "I want you to hold me."

The request seemed odd to Allon, but at this point the cougar was willing to expect anything from Rishi. "OK."

Rishi leaned in slowly, resting his body against the feline's naked chest and stomach, his muscular physique feeling rough and awkward, but at the same time comforting, his fur soft and delicate like a cozy blanket. He wrapped his arm around the lord's back, not even able to get his hands to touch, his body was so much smaller than the feline's. Allon reciprocated by wrapping his arms around Rishi, one covering his waist and the other holding his upper back, pulling him against his torso. Rishi rested his chin on Allon's left shoulder as Allon held the mouse tight in his grasp, applying enough pressure to secure the rodent in a warm embrace without causing any discomfort. Neither male said a word, opting to just hold each other like mates on a cold night. For Allon, the act was a dream come true, for Rishi, it was a learning experience. The security he felt from having the cougar's arms wrapped around his body, the way he moved up and down in rhythm with Allon's slow breathing. As he descended further into his methodical attempt to convince the lord to accept his offer, he slowly began to find peace and tranquility in the feline's presence. He tried to push aside all thoughts and memories of the man's past actions taken against him and observed solely the moment as it was playing out. What he experienced was a large feline man, holding him tenderly and passionately, willing to give the mouse anything he wanted in return for giving himself over to him. Wrapped in his arms, he found a sense of security and succor, the cougar shielding him from the world he was trying to escape. Thoughts of his wife smiling, his kids grown older and playing games together with other children their age, and Rishi was starting to feel a sense of serenity in his life that has never come before. All he had to do was make the cougar happy, which wasn't difficult, and from the way the night was proceeding, it seemed like he could truly be happy and comfortable with the lord.

"You know," Rishi started, his voice soft and low, taking his time to speak. "Had we continued forward with the tribute yesterday as usual, an act as simple as this would've made me uncomfortable. I knew it would lead to sex, musky scents, feelings of guilt, and I would've been so eager to just leave as quickly as possible. I would feel small and weak, dominated, owned, afraid." Every time Rishi brought up his emotions during their sexual encounters, he felt his regret and shame rising. "Now, in your arms, I feel... warm and safe, protected. I don't think about the past or the future, I just think about how safe I feel with someone big and gentle to cover me." Allon smiled and held him a little bit tighter, rubbing his back softly with his claws slightly extended to scritch and massage. "It's as if... it's as if this is what I've needed all this time. I've always felt like I was supposed to be protecting my wife and kids, but maybe I'm the one who needed to be protected, someone to hold me and keep me safe, to shield me from harm. Maybe that's been my purpose all along."

Allon found the admittance curious, but if the mouse was willing to accept the feline as his protector then he would be more than happy to oblige. For Rishi, the revelation was a bit more impactful, though not at all as daunting as might be expected. He knew he would do anything for his family, but something about his current pose with the cougar felt right. He never truly felt confident or competent in looking out for the safety of his wife and children, especially after the events of the invasion and what proceeded. Sam and his kids gave him happiness that he would never give up for the world, but he couldn't deny the kind of comfort and placidity he found in sharing an embrace with someone so big, so strong, so caring.

With his mind submerged in feelings of tranquility, he soon noted the strong, masculine scent emanating from Allon. As if wafted to his nose, he realized the smell didn't bother him, didn't give him thoughts of fear, anger, or revulsion. Instead, it was inviting, alluring, powerful and yet soothing. Having already fallen into a state of a paradoxical attraction for a feline that gave him years of nothing but pain, Rishi wanted to plunge himself head long into every sensation the cougar had to offer. He was no longer doing this in an attempt to prove to Allon that he could actually enjoy his company, nor was he doing it to prove to himself that he could bear to live his life as the lord's mate. He was now indulging in a sudden curiosity he had to satiate his newfound infatuation with the feline's body.

He buried his nose in the base of Allon's neck, pressing his muzzle hard against the feline fur, closed his eyes, and sniffed loud and long, breathing in the rich scent of the lord of Darreen. His body trembled at the olfactory sensation the musky odor had on him, shivering and moaning under his breath as the mouse felt a rush of lust surge through him. Two years spent having acclimated to the cougar's scent and any sense of aversion or disinclination to breathe it in again was gone. He released his inhibitions, took in the puma's odiferous musk without shame and without guilt and all it left the poor, abused rodent with was arousal. He felt the blood flow to his crotch and he felt embarrassment creeping up on him again, but rather than fight his attraction, he let it flow and breathed it in again. Allon's ear twitched at the sound of the rodent's inhalation and his eyes turned to spot the little mouse breathing his body. He smiled and closed his eyes, holding him tight and trying desperately to hold back from shedding more tears.

Rishi continued his discussion with Allon. "When we first started this, I thought your scent was... acrid, bitter, and it made me wince. I hated it. You told me to try and get used to it, that it would make our sessions easier, and you were right. I did get used to it. It did make things easier, but I never thought I'd ever actually enjoy it as much as I do now." He took another deep breath in through his nose. "You smell, your musk, it's so... enticing, so alluring, I just... feel so comfortable breathing it in. Long ago, a single breath and I wanted to leave, but I think it was fear and guilt that was holding me back from enjoying it. Without the fear and guilt, there's nothing keeping me from smelling the true scent that was hidden from me."

Allon smiled, feeling his emotional barriers weakening, another tear falling down his cheek as Rishi admitted the fondness he'd developed for the feline. He leaned forward and stuck his nose in the back of Rishi's head, taking a hard whiff and moaning a little louder than the mouse. "I don't think I need to tell you that I've always enjoyed your scent."

Rishi just shook his head. "No."

They continued to hold each other like that for some time. Rishi's cock stiffened up a bit, but was never fully erect under his trousers. He would never fully ignore the situation he was in and the events that led him there to Allon's bedroom. The realization that he was garnering an attraction for the cougar was only making the idea of living with him that much easier, but he never forgot that if he agreed, he'd have to watch his wife and kids leave.

"Allon, I will never forget all the things that you've done to me. They are forever scarred into my mind and whenever I look at you or whenever I run my hands across the scars on my face or my leg, I will always be reminded of those times. But, if you do this for me, if you help my family start a new life, a better life, keep them safe, make it so that they never have to worry again... ... ... after that, I can begin to forgive you and put everything else behind me."

Allon closed his eyes and smiled. "If you stay with me, I promise to do right by you. I will do everything in my power to try to make up for all the things that I've done and to dedicate my life to making you happy. Your family will be given a home, a good home in a nice, safe area. You're wife will never have to worry about money or working ever again. If she wants, she can lay about the house all day."

"Mm, she'd get bored with that kind of life. She likes the farming life, she also really likes to read."

"If that's what she wants, then that's what she gets. She'll get a nice ranch with good, fertile land. There are plenty of bookstores in the city that she can visit and, hell, if she'd like to work there, she could."

"And my kids, they're good kids, they're smart. They deserve a good schooling."

"There are some very fine tutors in Gellikor. I guarantee they will get the best education you could ever expect."

The last line seemed like a bit of dream feeding, but whether his kids got a royal education or a simple one didn't matter. As long as they were taught to read, to write, to solve problems, to learn, and to help advance society, then they were getting what they deserved. As for Sam, no matter what he did, he knew she would never be truly happy. If he moved with her, then they'd be poor, struggling mice with a marriage that might not survive the move. If he stayed, she'd have to willfully give up the life she knew without support and leave the kids without their father. It was an undesirable conundrum to be sure, but to Rishi, it was a worthwhile sacrifice that he was willing to make and if Sam could accept it and Allon would make it happen, then he would stay behind.

"OK," the mouse said quiety, the soothing moment providing some desirable relaxation for the fatigued rodent.

Allon continued to rub the mouse's back, the warm hug brimming with affection and care that neither member had experienced before. After a moment, it was Allon who broke the embrace, pulling Rishi's slumping form off of him and pulling him into a sitting position, his face wearisome. The cougar held the mouse by the hips, providing some support for Rishi who sat there fairly limp, seemingly ready to flop over and pass out. The mouse fixed himself by placing his paws back on Allon's shoulders as he stared back at the cougar with half-lidded eyes.

"So now I've promised to do what I can for your family," the cougar stated with a smile. "Now, I think it's time to consider what I can do for you personally. I think if anyone's earned the right to some pampering, it's you. So tell me, is there anything you want for yourself from me?"

Rishi thought on it a moment, having considered only what he wants for his family, but in the back of his mind had always held a few wishes and desires he's always pined for. "Well, I could use some new clothes. Most of my clothes are just old rags that have been stitched up over the years. I haven't had any new clothes in a long time."

"If you're my mate, you'll be given only the finest garments and accessories... and I can get you some very nice jewelry if you'd like."

Rishi's eyebrows lifted, an expression conveying the mouse's disbelief that he would ever desire to wear jewelry, but he continued with his wish list. "When I was staying here, I got to try some of the food you had and I must say it was highly enjoyable."

"The finest meals will be at your disposal. You'll eat no differently than the high lord or his men."

"And I have to be able to visit my family from time to time."

Allon reached around and supported Rishi from his lower back, grinning widely at him. "Whenever you like. I will not stand in the way of you when you wish to be with your family."

Rishi smiled for a moment, the thought of living so well giving the mouse something to look forward to, but that smile faded quickly as he looked back into Allon's eyes, his face deathly serious. "But you can never hurt me or yell at me ever again."

Allon looked back in shock, almost as if he couldn't imagine hurting the mouse, though he understood completely Rishi's request. "I promise you, I will never harm you again."

"I'm serious, Allon. If you ever get angry with me like you did in the past or raise your paw to me in anger, then it's all over. I will leave without a second thought to be with my wife and we'll take our chances on the street."

Allon gulped, frightened at the prospect of losing this man after they've begun to work through their issues. He knew it was his job entirely to make sure it didn't happen and stared back at Rishi, a proud and noble expression on his face. "Rishi, I swear to you on my life and by my honor as a high lord of the great nation of Identine that you will never know harm by my hand or by my voice again. You will know only respect, care, and loyalty from myself and my men. On this I swear."

Rishi kept his gaze fixed on the puma's eyes, judging the sincerity of his words. Deeming his oath to be one of honest truth, he relaxed and nodded. "Alright."

"So... will you stay?"

He looked into his eyes, embraced him, and smelled his scent and yet felt nothing but comfort and attraction. He was almost ready to answer him right then and there, but two key things made Rishi hesitate. First, his wife. He couldn't make this decision without her and he couldn't go through with it if she was not on board. He needed to discuss the situation and the offer with Sam before he could say yes and if she says no, then the answer is no. Second, embracing Allon is one thing, having him hold him in his paws and sniffing his scent is nothing compared to sleeping with him. If he was going to stay with Allon, offer himself as mate, he needed to be sure that he could have sex with him and not freak out about it.

"Allon, I... in the past the only reason I slept with you was because I had to, because it was part of the agreement we made. And not once in these last two years was I ever comfortable with that arrangement. I admit, there were times I came in when I didn't dread the tributes, when I could come in and let you do whatever you wanted to me and I could leave with little more than disgust for the way I smelled and shame for how it affected my wife. But even then, I would always have preferred to just keep you company and not have to take your cock up my ass or suck off you or your guards. But that was always against my wishes. I didn't really have a choice. This is my decision and if I'm going to do this, I have to make sure that I can do all those things... maybe even more... of my own volition."

Allon noded, understanding the mouse's desire to ensure his time spent bedding the lord would be, at the very least, tolerable. "Alright. I understand. So, how would you like to go about this?" The cougar had an idea of what they could, but Rishi was the one making the effort and it was up to him to decide how best to solve his own unrest.

Rishi knew exactly what he needed to do, but was both apprehensive about it and unsure where to start. Part of him wanted to jump in with both feet, so to speak, and let Allon shove his thick dick right up his ass. It would be succinct, over quickly, and he'd be certain up front if he could handle life with Allon. But another part of him, the part that was winning him over, wanted him to take his time, ease into it with a little foreplay, and warm up to the main event. This way, he could grow accustomed to it and use that as a preliminary paradigm by which to base his future amorous relationship with Allon.

As the mouse stared down at Allon, the cougar awaiting the rodent to make the first move, Rishi stared into his eyes and thought back to all those evenings alone with the feline. They usually started the same way and for Rishi, he figured, it was the simplest way to test his resolve. His pulse quickened, as did his breathing, as he leaned his muzzle forward, pressing his lips together against Allon's, and kissing him softly and tenderly. He backed away, the cougar finding the more amicable action taken by Rishi romantic and endearing, hopeful that the mouse won't be too bothered by it. For Rishi, the kiss wasn't anything special. It didn't feel wrong, the feline's fur was a bit coarser around the lips, but they were thick and as he went for the kiss Allon breathed a warm puff of air out his nose that tickled his own. That never happened before, but Rishi found it cute and felt more lighthearted.

The act was simple, but he didn't need simple, he needed intense. So Rishi leaned forward, pursed his lips, and pressed his muzzle against Allon's with a little more force than last time, separating his lips as he did so. Allon responded in kind, parting his lips and giving Rishi access to the inside of his muzzle, but Rishi didn't accept just yet. He allowed for a less delicate, more passionate kiss, but broke it off quickly to Allon's displeasure, though the cougar wasn't about to rush the mouse. Rishi thought on the act a moment, still feeling a bit unsatisfied with the results. The intention was to test his willingness to comfortably sleep with Allon without doubting his resolve. He figured his negative feelings towards the cougar for his years of torment and sexual manipulation would come back to haunt him as he participated in displays of romance and affection, but those feelings never surfaced. Instead, he was left with a longing for more, though more of what he didn't know, but he knew that if he pressed on, he might find out.

His nerves shot up and he began to pant softly for a moment, until he placed his paws on the underside of Allon's chin and leaned his face forward, mouth open as he pressed their muzzles together. Allon was a little surprised that the mouse went for it, but he happily gave the mouse access to his inner muzzle, opening his maw as the mouse engaged in a passionate kiss. Immediately, Rishi began making out with the cougar lord, his tongue lashing forward from his maw and striking right into the larger feline's. Their lips locked and suckled on one another as Rishi initiated an exploratory licking of the puma's mouth. He was met by Allon's tongue, the two coarse, slithery organs colliding, slick with spit and rubbing against each other in a display of pure, erotic lust.

Rishi moved his paws to wrap his arms around Allon, one paw going over his shoulder and hugging his back while the other reached around and cupped the back of the cougar's head. Allon did the same, one paw reaching up and holding the mouse in place by the middle of his back while the other came up and cradled his neck. Soft moans came from Allon who obviously enjoyed the foreplay, the experience reminiscent of the long make-out sessions he himself initiated over the years. Rishi remained quiet, though forcibly so as he was getting much more enjoyment out of kissing the cougar than he thought he would. Two years worth of memories of being forced to share muzzles, exchanging spit, and being mouth raped by the feline's tongue instilled the mouse with feelings of disgust and discomfort. Those feelings didn't arise, though. Instead of aversion to the lord's strong, meaty breath, he felt stimulated by having the large male breathing back into his mouth. Instead of discomfort at feeling the spikey cougar appendage snaking it's way into his small, murine muzzle, he got aroused at feeling the warm, tentacle-esque organ occupying the empty space.

He pressed his muzzle forward with more force and Allon responded by holding his position, their maws held against each other with a greater pressure as their jaws and lips moved ceaselessly. As always, their randy endeavor left Allon's muzzle to fill with cougar saliva to which Rishi began sucking it up. The idea of tasting and swallowing another man's spit used to repulse the mouse, but now, sitting there pressed against the cougar's body, copious build-up of the sticky, viscous, meaty drool flowing down his gullet, it was exciting, erotic, and he couldn't get enough. Their mouths danced as their paws held each other, tongues invading inner maws, stale breath from both members acting as an aphrodisiac to the endless make-out. As always, neither cat nor mouse was able to contain the profuse spit accumulating in their muzzles and like a bursting dam a series of sticky strings sprung from the cracks in their lips and stained their chins, some of them dangling down from their muzzles and landing on their chest, their stomach, or their hips.

Allon was getting hard under Rishi, the mouse's butt rubbing up against the cougar's sheath. Whether he willed it or not, his cock was coming out and as the rodent stimulated him by mixing their saliva together, his penis grew hard and slid out of its hiding place. It grew rapidly, quickly engorging with blood and poking upward into Rishi's ass. The mouse expected the lord to grow stiff, though he still felt nervous for a moment as the feline glans poked his tiny rodent rump, but it passed quickly and he was able to continue french kissing the feline. Allon reached down with a free paw and readjusted his member, pulling it down so that as it fully hardened, Rishi's crack had an erect feline penis resting in between it.

Several minutes went by, but to the couple it seemed like less before Rishi finally broke away from the kiss. Both lord and subject were breathing heavily, strings of sticky spit bridging their muzzles which hung mere inches away. Allon looked up at the mouse, pleased with the progress he was making and more than happy to oblige him if he decided to take it further. Rishi sat there, barely able to think clearly as he had braced himself for some sense of apprehension or disgust or fear, but instead he experienced the exact opposite. The taste of the cougar's spit lingered in his muzzle, his musky scent clinging to his nostrils, and the sensation of sharing his muzzle still playing out in his mind. He was excited, aroused, and wanted more. A part of him thought that maybe he was trying too hard to be comfortable with this, that he was teaching himself to like it, but he immediately dismissed the idea. The truth was that he just now was realizing how much of an effect his guilt was having on his experiences with the Royal Court. Had he allowed himself to give in to his own temptations, ignored his guilt and shame and torn down his inhibitions, he would've enjoyed his sessions with the lord and his guards a lot more.

The realization didn't come easily to Rishi. During those minutes locking lips with Allon, the mouse never thought of his wife, his kids, or the reason he was here in the first place. The intellectual part of his mind shut down and the primitive part took over, driven by pure instinct to feel pleasure. Now, though, having taken a moment to clear his head, it all came rushing back: his wife, his kids, their suffering, his suffering, and the want to be in control of his life. The fact that he was able to engage in such provocative actions so enthusiastically brought some newfound guilt to the rodent, but he was able to find some solace in his behavior. It seemed to be that he was no longer viewing the cougar as the lord of the Plains or the man who forced him to be his sexual escort for so long. All he saw was a man, a feline, big, muscular, whose scent made him feel promiscuous with a body that he wanted to explore. Being there, legs spread, crotch pressed against him in the throws of passion, he no longer felt threatened by the feline's presence. Instead, he felt emboldened.

Rishi could've ended it right then and there, affirmed by his newfound lust for the strong, feline body that he would certainly be able to enjoy himself in bed with Allon, but something made him push on. He took a moment to catch his breath before he stared down at the lord. "Allon, I want you unclasp the buckle on my pants holding my tail and pull down my trousers and undergarments."

The cougar raised his eyebrows in delight and smiled, though that faded a bit when Rishi just stared back as if he were asking of this as a simple chore. "Alright. You wanna get up so I can get 'em off?"

Rishi shook his head. "No, I don't want you to pull them all the way down, just passed the hips."

Allon got the jist of the mouse's request and happily carried it out. He reached down and undid the buckle on the back of his pants, freeing the rodent tail and loosening his pants. He then reached under the waistline of both his pants and braies and slowly pulled them down. Rishi lifted up his butt to allow the cougar more freedom to move his garments down, pulling the trousers partway down his thighs. He removed his paw and Rishi lowered himself back down onto Allon's erect cock, his butt exposed and resting comfortably down on the feline meat. His cock and balls dangled freely between his legs, the open air hitting his junk which was slightly aroused from the previous events.

No matter how many times the pair had done things like this in the past, it was still a relatively new experience for Rishi to be in control of the situation. He'd never had the option to leave anytime he wanted and had always accepted that fate. Now, his actions were his choice, what happens next was his decision, free to end it or enhance however he saw fit.

Allon brought his paw back up to support the mouse. "There you go. Now what?"

Rishi's heart was beating fast. A part of him didn't want him to say it, the part of him thinking about his wife, his kids, their future together. But he felt he had to do this, felt he had to prove that this was his choice, and despite his doubts and reservations, he began to think...

"Stick a finger inside of me."

Allon didn't have much of a reaction anymore to Rishi's requests, figuring out where the mouse's mind was going. Instead, he just did as instructed, recognizing the hesitation in the rodent's expression and the reasonable doubts he must be feeling about doing this. But the cougar still held out hope that Rishi might be enjoying it as well, after the feisty tongue battle the two shared for several minutes. Allon brought his paw down Rishi's back, running it along the furry hide as it traveled down the base of his tail and his supple rump resting in his lap. He slowly squeezed his paw under Rishi's backside, the mouse lifting himself up slightly to give the feline a little more room to maneuver his paw. He kept his claws sheathed as his finger came up into the mouse's crack, searching the taint for the rodent's tight back entrance. He found it quickly, tempted to tease it a while, rubbing the furry digit around to pleasure the nerve endings in the thin skin, but again he had to remind himself that this was Rishi's command and he would do only what the mouse asked him to do. He pressed the tip of his middle finger against the puckered ring and pushed upward, opening him up and slipping his digit inside.

Rishi let out a slight moan and Allon stopped pushing, looking down at the rodent in his lap with concern, trying to read his expression. Was he uncomfortable or was he enjoying himself? He couldn't really tell, but he didn't tell him to stop, so he proceeded to shove his middle finger past Rishi's anal sphincter. He shoved it in until he was knuckle deep, the mousy warmth engrossing his finger, the rodent's butt cheek now resting on his wrist. Rishi breathed softly, looking almost serene to Allon, the sensation he felt of having the cougar penetrate his anal bud a far more pleasurable experience than he expected. He didn't deny to anyone, Sam, Allon, or himself, that he got some pleasure from being sodomized, but with his protective walls taken down, he allowed himself to out and out enjoy it. He tried to hold back a bit, still afraid to fully embrace the experience, but as Allon opened him up, his subconscious mind took control and he inadvertently moaned with delight. He knew Allon heard it, probably figured he enjoyed what he was doing, and thought he might try to advance the session on his own, but he didn't. Once his finger was lodged in his bowels, the cougar stopped, waiting for instruction, leaving the mouse to direct their actions and making the experience that much easier for Rishi.

Rishi looked up, back into Allon's eyes, and as he did the cougar smiled and Rishi's expression betrayed his feelings, the fact that he was thoroughly enjoying this more than he thought he would. He looked on with uncertainty, his mind racing and his heart beating furiously. "Um... I want you to... ... ..." He wanted to say it, but he was too nervous and embarrassed to phrase it. His stomach was aflutter and his crotch was warm. "I want you... to... ... ... play around with my... ... ... with my tailhole."

Allon chuckled inwardly, the nervous display by the rodent making him look adorable to the cougar. He took his cue and starting running his finger in small circles, rubbing his paw along the wrinkled skin of his rosebud. His finger was hitting all the right spots and Rishi closed his eyes and let his jaw drop as he exhaled a silent moan, breathing warm breath onto Allon's face. The puma grinned lovingly and continued his treatment, rubbing his finger around, simulating thrusting motions, sliding the digit around the slick interior of Rishi's rectum. The sensation was having its intended effect on Rishi as the mouse's penile blood vessels began to fill with blood.

After a moment, Rishi opened his eyes and stared at Allon again, panting open-mouthed in short, shallow breaths. The mouse didn't even know he was doing it. "You OK?" Allon asked of the mouse.

Rishi nodded and after a short moment enjoying the fingering his ass was getting, he spoke again. "I want you to... *pant* ... I want you to... *pant* ... stick another finger in me."

Allon wasted no time, slowly adjusted his index finger to the exterior of his intestines as he ran his finger upwards, separating his tight ring further, stretching it to more extreme lengths, and making Rishi groan uncontrollably. Allon gazed back with sympathy and concern. "Are you OK, Rishi?"

"I'm fine," he replied, still panting. "Stick it all... *pant* ... the way in and... *pant* ... play around with my asshole."

Allon let out an audible humorous chuff as he complied and rammed his finger in as deep as he could, now two knuckles deep inside Rishi's dark, damp colon. He rubbed them both around, separating them up and down and to the sides, spreading Rishi's anal ring open wider. Rishi had to fight to avoid moaning in lustful pleasure, the sensation of having his butt opened bringing about shame in a whole new way. He still felt guilt and regret for finding excitement in an act that has brought him misery and suffering. After trying so hard to resist the temptation to give in to his primal urges, he found himself still, at his own accord, fighting his right to be happy, to enjoy himself, to give his body what it wants. He knew what this meant to his relationship with Sam, but the damage there was already done. Allon spent so long in control of the situation, but he was no longer in control, Rishi was, and if he was ever going to take control of his life, he had to accept what he wanted and what he wanted at that moment was to let go, to stop fighting, and embrace his primitive lust.

As Allon pressed his fingers forward against the slick, intestinal walls, pushing against Rishi's small, sensitive prostate, the mouse released a loud, sensuous moan of raw sexual pleasure. "Ooooooh!"

Allon smiled wide, brimming with happiness, excited to see the mouse finally enjoying himself. "Is that good?"

Rishi was gripping the cougar's shoulders, he small claws barely denting the skin underneath his golden-brown fur. His cock stiffened up rapidly, growing thick and erect at the feline's titillating touch as he nodded at the lord's question. "Don't stop."

The rodent's sensuous state of mind took over and he truly let go of his inhibitions as he leaned forward, locking his muzzle with Allon again and kissing him with fervor. Allon gladly accepted, letting the rodent's tongue and warm saliva flood his muzzle and mix with his own as he continued to violate his punctured hole. He brought his other paw up, cupping the mouse's chin and cheek gently, holding it tenderly as they passionately sucked face. They kept their eyes closed, Rishi exploring the confines of Allon's maw that he'd come to know so well, this time as the invader and not the invaded. He began to moan into the kiss, Allon responding by purring back, softly at first but then picking up in vibrato. The cougar was hitting all the right spots inside of his asshole, the feeling of being stretched making his dick bob with anticipation of a well-deserved, explosive climax.

Rishi broke off the kiss, a small string of spit connecting the murine and feline muzzles. "Wait, stop. Pull out."

Allon did without hesitation, retracting his fingers and the tight sphincter, which immediately clenched up. Allon pulled his paw out from under Rishi's butt and cupped his rump, grinning with love and care back at the mouse. Rishi didn't return the happy looks, but he didn't have to. The actions the mouse took tonight were more than enough to convince the feline that Rishi could be happy with him and was as enthusiastic as he was to romp around. Indeed, the lord was correct and Rishi felt a sexual longing for the large cat that he never dreamed he would. His mind was clouded with confusion, the thought of running out before he took it the whole way crossing through his mind more than once. However, his body wouldn't let him leave or lie and he'd gone beyond proving that he could handle sleeping with Allon. But still, a part of him wouldn't let him finish yet, wouldn't let him back out, not until he sealed the deal with the cougar and finished a mating session because of his own choice to do so.

"I have to finish this. I have to take it all the way. I need to do this because it's my decision. Understand?" Allon nodded. "I want you to-" He paused, finding it difficult in asking the cougar to finish mating him. He gulped, his stomach dancing with either nervousness or excitement; Rishi wasn't sure which. "I want you to shove your cock in me, slowly and carefully, and then... I want you fuck me." Rishi put great emphasis on 'slowly and carefully.'

Allon let his smile fade and nodded with reassurance, his mouth hanging opened slightly and his purs coming out loud. Rishi's cock was swollen as Allon's and his crotch and ass were warm to the touch with lust, lifting his tail in preparation. Allon supported the mouse with one paw as the other reached down to his cock and prepped it to enter the mouse. Rishi's heart was pounding in his chest as the reminder of every moment the cougar entered him crossed his mind at that moment and he second guessed himself if he was doing the right thing. He felt the muscles on the cougar tense up as he moved to carry out the rodent's wishes, thinking on the memory of his painful first time with Allon filling his ass. It got better, for sure, but did he really want this or could he really handle a life where his tailhole would act as a cock sleeve for the puma's dick? His mind said no but his body hinted at yes. After every scent, every taste, every sensation he experienced tonight, he was confident he could, but the only way he would know for sure is if Allon impaled him with his member here and now.

I've always got the choice to leave, he told himself over and over again.

Allon lifted the mouse up a bit, giving himself some room to maneuver his penis to get the tip at the puckered entrance. Unexpectedly, he hesitated, keeping it sandwiched between Rishi's buns, the warm meat and the warm rump ramping up the sexual tension in the feline. He wanted to shove inside and not take it out, but something was holding him back, his own regret. This was the mouse's decision, it was his choice, he was in control of the situation, but that was part of the problem for him. He could follow it, he would follow it, but what happens after that could only make things harder for him. After a long pause, Rishi looked down at him questioningly, wondering what was taking him so long to do what he never hesitated before in doing. Allon clamped his eyes shut, grit his teeth, and groaned, the decision tearing him apart, before he finally grunted and shook his head.

"No, no, wait, wait!"

He grabbed Rishi under the arms and lifted him off, placing him on his feet and leaning over to calm himself down. Rishi stood there bewildered, his pants around his thighs with his cock hanging out, hard and eager to get off. He kept quiet as Allon composed himself, having ended his purring and clenching his fists. He was obviously tense and his cock was still hard as a rock, pre-ejaculate seeping out of it.

"Rishi, I can't." Allon spoke with a shaky voice. "Believe me, I want to more than anything. You have no idea how hard it was for me keep my dick out of your cute, sexy backside." Rishi was beyond confused, lost at the lord's sudden refusal. "Look, if you do decide to stay, then I promise I will honor our agreement. Everything I said before, I meant it. I will make sure you and your family are as happy as they could be. But this... this decision can't just be yours or mine alone. Let me ask you something; does your wife know that you're here to make this deal?"

Rishi suddenly realized the similarities to what was happening now and what happened when he made the deal with Allon two years ago. He sunk into a depressive state and closed his eyes as he shook his head. "No, but I wasn't going to make this decision on my own. I had to make sure you would take responsibility for what happened and that you would make it right if I stayed with you. If Sam says no, then the answer is no. But I have to do this now. I have to prove to myself that I can comfortably share my body with you, as long as it's my choice."

"Do you really Rishi? Do you really need to prove that to yourself?"

Rishi was taken aback by the question. He couldn't have been so blind to assume the cougar hadn't noticed how much enjoyment he was getting out of their encounter. He wasn't ready to admit it to the lord yet, nor was he certain exactly what his feelings for the feline were. "But if not for me, then why not for yourself? Why'd you end it? You said so yourself that you were obsessed with me and it's never stopped you before-"

"That's the problem, Rishi," he interrupted. "I am obsessed with you. Your body, so small, so slim, so supple and cute, yet sexy. The sound of your voice is like angelic music to my ears, soft and sweat, comforting and alluring. The touch of your fur, so soft and relaxing, I can't help my arousal as I run my paws along your waist, your thighs, your cheeks. Your scent, it drives me wild, like a feline in perpetual heat I want to just bury my nose in the scruff of your neck and breathe in your enchanting musk for the rest of my days. I want nothing more than to accept your offer and lie you down here, now, on my bed and show you how obsessed I am with you. But... when you speak with Sam, if you decide to leave after all this, and I take you now, it'll be nearly impossible for me to let you go. Unfortunately, I will have no choice and I'll be left longing for you in despair, toiling away in an endless depression. At this point, I've already accepted the idea of you leaving and I think it's better this way. If you stay, then I'll be waiting for you when your ready. For now, though, I think you should go be with your wife and children. You have some decisions to make."

Rishi couldn't believe it, but he was actually feeling sorry for the lord, probably because he was finally putting the mouse's interests ahead of his own... partially. What surprised him more than that, though, was the fact that he was a little disappointed that the cougar ended the session prematurely. After having been the lord's fuck toy for two years, forced into sexual submission to endure the puma's lustful desires only to be denied his own release when he finally accepts his attraction to the feline. He couldn't help but scoff silently at the irony of the situation.

After a moment, his disappointment passed and he was left with relief and a desire to be with his wife. He pulled up his pants slowly and buttoned them up, his cock still stiff, but slowly softening up. He stood there a moment and smiled softly at the cougar. "Thank you, Lord Allon, for thinking of me and my wife."

Allon responded with a huge grin, his cock still engorged with blood. "You're welcome Rishi. And remember, whatever you decide, I will support you however I can." Rishi bowed to the lord and Allon gave a light bow in return. "Go talk to Amarro. Have him fetch one of the carriages to take you home."

"Thank you again, Allon."

Rishi turned to leave, but Allon lifted his head and called out to him, "Rishi, hold on." The mouse stopped and turned back in his direction. "I want you to take your time in deciding, but I need you to make your decision before the next tribute. I will do right by you, but I am still the lord of the Darreen Plains and as such, I have lordly duties to perform."

Rishi looked a little disappointed, but nodded anyway. "I understand. Um... before I go, do you mind if I use your wash room? If I'm going to be discussing the situation and our options with Sam, I think I'd rather not have her distracted with your scent."

Allon nodded to the mouse. "Of course."

With that, the rodent turned towards the door, opening it wide and making his exit. Allon was left there alone with only his erection to keep him company. There were some pleasantries exchanged outside the cougar's room before Dubois entered into the door frame dressed in only a leather loincloth with no flaps.

"Everything OK, Roland?" The cougar nodded distantly as the cheetah noticed the large hard-on sported by his superior. He sniffed the room and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I don't smell sex, but there is a very musky flavor in air. Did anything happen?"

"Not really," Allon responded without looking up. "We may have to tell the cook to begin preparing meals for six."

Dubois paused, stunned by the news the lord just delivered. "Wait, you mean Rishi's staying?"

"Maybe. We're not certain yet. Whatever the case, my much dejected spirit has been lifted."

The cheetah grinned as he stared at Allon's still rock hard member. "Doesn't look like it's the only thing that's been lifted." The cougar let out a choff and a slight grin as Dubois came around the corner of the bed. "Would you like me to help take care of that, my lord?"

Allon looked back at the cheetah, contemplating the idea. "No. If things go right, I'd like to save myself for the right moment. If not... well, then I'll think of you." The puma gave Dubois a huge, playful grin which Dubois returned.

"Alright, Roland. I'm heading to bed, now. Jarai's got night watch." Allon nodded as the cheetah backed away. "Get some rest, OK. Sam and Rishi aren't the only ones who've had a rough day."

"Thank you for your concern Dubois."

"Goodnight, Roland."

"Goodnight."

The cheetah closed the doors to the lord's bedchamber, leaving him alone, set on the edge of the bed with his dong standing upright like a flagpole. His claws dug into the bed, anxious to grab it and stroke away his perverse yearning, but he just couldn't allow it. His next climax could be shared with Rishi and that meant something to the cougar, even if it didn't come to fruition. Despite having fucked the mouse countless times before, as Rishi stated this wouldn't be as a tribute or as an escort or a prisoner or anything; it would be as mates. It was a special occasion and Allon didn't want to spoil it and if he had to go blue balls for a week in order for it to happen, it would be worth it.

The cougar knew his erection wouldn't be leaving anytime soon as the scent of the mouse lingered, the memory of the small rodent sprawled out on his lap, his crotch pressed up against him. He still felt his lips pressed up against his own, his tongue lashing around in his maw, their saliva mixing together and dribbling out and coating their bodies. Allon still had matted fur from where their spit dribbled out and those several minutes, which in his mind stretched out over an hour, kept playing out in his mind. He couldn't think of anything else and the constant flexing of his stiff penis wasn't helping to alleviate his arousal, though he honestly didn't care.

He laid back, allowing his cock to bob around as he moved, expecting to get little sleep, despite his own fatigue. He looked to the left and noticed Rishi's ragged shirt was still sitting on his bed. He reached over and picked it up, the old, dirty rag bringing back memories of bad times, events he wished he could erase. He brought the shirt up to his nose and sniffed it, whiffing up Rishi's scent, though it was difficult giving how old the shirt was. He sniffed a few times, attempting to gain some small sample of the rodent's musk, but there was nothing. He eventually gave up and just held the shirt to his chest, imagining a life where he got to do this every night with the white-furred mouse. He shuddered blissfully at the thought.